An optical fiber cable is a cable containing one or more optical fibers. The optical fiber elements are typically individually coated with plastic layers and contained in a protective tube suitable for the environment where the cable will be deployed. Usually gel compositions are used to fill the gap between the protective tube and the optical fiber. The gel composition gives some mechanical protection and is used to insulate the fiber from water in case of damage to the tubing.
A widely practised solution devised by those skilled in the art to minimize water penetration into the cable in the case of damage to the plastic tubing involves filling the interior interstitial space of a cable with a water insoluble filling material, such as a sealant, that plugs the cable and stops the migration of water into the cable. When a filling material is used, several factors are usually taken into consideration, such as, for example, its dielectric constant, density, aging, temperature stability, hydrophobic nature of the composition, processing and handling characteristics, shrinkage of the filling material upon cooling, toxicity, cost, and the like.
While the foregoing technology may be useful, there exists a need for a cable fill composition that can be used in electrical or optical cables, which provides, in particular, improvements in processability such as ease of manufacture and ease of use, improved rheology characteristics, improved thixotropy, improved low temperature properties, improved colour stability, reduced loss of composition in the case of cable damage, while taking into consideration the factors listed in the preceding paragraph.